We all know by know that Cannabis is a great drug that helps people who are suffering from depression. But how exactly does it work. First we need to understand what Cannabis actually does to your brain when you are inhaling that sweet dank smoke.

Okay, so let’s get sciency for a moment, we all have Neurons in our brains, these are like large tangled lines along your brain, from one neuron to the next, there is something that is called the Neurotransmitters. These are tiny cells that flow from one neuron to the next, the Axon is the one responsible for releasing the tiny cells that come out of your brain, (The Axon looks like a long tail from what I can tell) after the Dendrite of a new Neuron is the one in charge of catching the neurons from one neuron to the next. All neurons have an Axon and a Dendrite, the cells are subsequently charging themselves along the way. These way we connect information with old and new, make new neural pathways that help us understand the world around us. Now imagine all that I’ve described into your whole brain, millions of neurons are constantly transmitting and receiving information.

So yeah, you’re probably thinking…But what does all this information have to do with anything? You’re probably asking yourself right now. You see unlike alcohol our brain has similar molecules like the ones found in weed. These are called Cannabinoids, which are by the way found in our brain, we produce them naturally. THC the thing found in weed resembles Anandamide… You know everyone knows the compound Anandamide, right?

So now back to the good stuff, the Neurons occasionally take a little break after firing. Because you’re body doesn’t want you constantly be thinking, using the same neural pathways over and over again. Instead they take a little break so that they can give other neuropathways time to activate and rest themselves. It’s a constant never ending cycle that we have inside our brain. But when you smoke weed, these neural pathways get back to work immediately. They never stop, so you’re imagination and your thoughts instantly magnify. You are overly thinking because of weed. Thinking is fun right? So if you suddenly start thinking about kittens while you’re high, your emotions and body response takes over. You instantly start acknowledging all the feels. Because you are literally having all the feels thanks to weed. Everything seems magnified because you’re brain is unable to see the big picture. You start going on rants about the most meaningless things, but at the same time it’s the most profound experience you had ever had in your life. Thanks weed!

But that’s not all, weed makes you release dopamine, like in an staggering amount of dopamine. What’s dopamine exactly though? Well it’s the thing that makes you happy.

You might get the giggles or the munchies. It all depends on what you’re doing that day. So now that you know how weed works in your brain, we can get to the good stuff. Why does weed help with depression. Well on a medical standpoint, (but I’m no doctor so take everything with a grain of salt) Weed makes you feel happy because of the intense amount of dopamine being released in your brain. Patients who suffer from deep dark depression, might suddenly feel happy and their outlook on life changes. It’s not just about how you see things. Because telling someone who is depressed to just be happy will never work.

Oh thanks mom for the advice! I’ll be sure to tell my brain to start producing more dopamine when I’m sober because like I can just tell it to, right!?

Deep depression, the kind that doesn’t let you get out of bed in the morning, is in fact a

chemical imbalance in your brain. Things that produce dopamine for a normal person, like

seeing cute pictures of dogs on the internet or snuggling with your cat or significant other at night. Those kinds of things, well a person with depression goes about their day not

experiencing happiness with those things. While you do because your brain literally produces a chemical that tells you to be happy. For people suffering from depression that does not happen. Although the only side effect of weed is that maybe you’re Anxiety can be blown through the roof, but learning to control it is the most important part.

Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone knows you’re high. Just be chill, everything will be allright.